Venezuela Welcomes Turkish FM, Signs New Round of Agreements

Mérida, August 20, 2020 (venezuelanalysis.com) – President Nicolas Maduro met with Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu at Miraflores Palace in Caracas on Tuesday, to deepen bilateral cooperation.

The meeting came days after a phone conversation between Maduro and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and culminated with several agreements in the areas of healthcare, housing, education, and joint investment.

Speaking on the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Turkey and Venezuela, Cavusoglu stated, “Turkey is not only present in the midst of this pandemic. We will always be with Venezuela and its people.”

The top diplomat additionally extended an invitation to Maduro to make a state visit to Turkey.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza thanked Ankara for recently sending 20 tons of medical supplies and equipment to Venezuela to face the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the second shipment, the Caribbean country received 25 ventilators, 40,000 PCR testing kits, 100,000 facial masks, 35,000 biosecurity suits, 200,000 gloves, among other supplies.

Arreaza also revealed that an agreement was signed with Turkey’s Tika Cooperation Agency for the construction of a hospital in Venezuela with a capacity of 288 beds.

Last month, Turkey had similarly provided equipment for the Ana Teresa de Jesus Maternal Infant Hospital in La Guaira State and for the burn unit at Caracas’ Lidice Hospital.

Caracas and Ankara have forged closer ties in recent years, with Turkey helping to supply Venezuela’s CLAP food program as well as assisting in processing Venezuelan gold.